This invention relates to the inhibition of calcification of biomaterial implants.
Pathologic calcification represents the end stage of virtually all acquired cardiovascular disease and complicates a wide variety of biomaterial implants. Typically, the term pathologic calcification refers to the deposition of calcium phosphate mineral salts in association with a disease process. Calcification of bioprosthetic cardiac valves (BCV) represents the most common cause of the clinical failure of these devices.
Nimni et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,224 describes inhibiting calcification of glutaraldehyde-stabilized bioprosthetics by treating them with amino group-containing compounds such as diphosphonates, or with calcium chelating agents prior to implantation.